Last battle on wine sales?

Press, 22 July 1989, Page 14

Last battle on wine sales?

By

PETER LUKE

in Wellington

A last-ditch effort to allow supermarkets to sell wine seems set to take place next week, when the Sale of Liquor Bill is likely to receive its third reading.

Politicians from both sides of Parliament have already signalled their aim to revisit the issue by seeking to have this aspect of thei bill recommitted.

Before the House’s recent five-week recess, Parliament rejected proposals to allow wine sales in supermarkets, but this week, during the final committee stages of the bill, it was apparent that wine-sale proponents would try again. On Wednesday, the Associate Minister of Justice, Mr Woollaston, sought leave of the House to consider an amendment from Mr Fred Gerbic (Labour, Onehunga) to permit wine sales in supermarkets. Only one dissenting voice was needed to block this, and the loudest “no” came from an ardent liberalisation opponent, Mr Graeme Lee (National, Coromandel). But just before a bill receives its third reading, an attempt to recommit it

(send it back to the committee stage) can only be blocked by a full vote.

The last hours of the committee stage were marked by confusion, and Opposition claims that the Government was mounting a revenue raid on the $BO million Licensing Fund. Confusion came in the form of four amendments from North Island members to preserve “dry” areas in their electorates. A pre-recess bid to save dry areas machinery had been lost.

This week, however, before most members realised it, leave was given for amendments preserving the dry status of Roskill, Grey Lynn, Eden and Wellington East to be dealt with. Then just as quickly they were carried.

The Opposition later fought a proposal that would effectively transfer the $BO million in the Licensing Fund to the Government.

Government members said that they were splitting this into a separate Bill to accede to Opposition complaints that as the move was a Government measure, it ought not be in a conscience-vote liquor bill.